Tuesday, March 28, 2017

The League of Augsburg

After I wrap up Rossbach, I'm going to take a break from the Seven Years War and return to an ealier time. Namely, the Nine Years War, fought from 1688 to 1697.

The Nine Years War was to the War of Spanish Succession a bit like the Mexican War was to the American Civil War. Many of the officers and generals that would figure prominently in the War of Spanish Succession commanded in lesser roles during the Nine Years War. This was certainly the case with Marlborough, for example, who commanded in Ireland for awhile, but was then relieved of command by William III, due to suspected Jacobite sympathies.

The Cockpit of Europe

I think I have my head around the rules now for Nine Years. I'm looking forward to giving it a try, though I do wish I had an opponent. I think this one would play better with two people.

Oldbridge Ford scenario of the Battle of the Boyne from Lilliburlero

After bitching about ahistorical play during a game of Pike & Shot: Campaigns the other day, I felt compelled to try and demonstrate an alternative. While I'll actually play (and record) the same P&S:C scenario sometime soon, I felt like I could first illustrate the relevant part of the action more effective using the excellent Lilliburlero from Against the Odds.

The Williamite army gathers across from Oldbridge to storm the lightly held south side of the Boyne

As much as I love P&S:C, there are limitations to the game engine that can't be really worked around to cope with some of the special circumstances of a battle like the Boyne. For example, the Boyne is a tidal river and the water level across the fords is entirely dependent on the state of the tide at any given time. Formations are also generally too easy to maneuver in PS&C for the period, and can fire too far. Lilliburlero deals with all of that and is a generally more accurate historical simulation that still plays fast and easy.